Tag Archives: Civil Liberties

Can Anyone Ban Handguns?

June 27, 2008 – 12:21 pm

The Heller decision was a big win for the 2nd Amendment: it established that citizens do have a right to own guns. Unfortunately, that decision only applies to the federal government. What about the states? It will take a new court case — and a new decision — to establish whether or not the 2nd [...]

By Joe Martin | Posted in Government, Law | Also tagged , , | Comments (0)

Quoted for truth

February 10, 2008 – 10:29 pm

One of The Economist’s recent blog entries reminds me of why I like the magazine as much as I do, notwithstanding its faults. Can you see any mainstream American newspaper making this comparison? “IMAGINE Nazi rule in Germany surviving for decades, with Hitler undefeated in war and succeeded on his death in the [...]

By Adam Volle | Posted in Culture, Foreign Policy, Philosophy | Also tagged , , | Comments (0)

Another Out of Control Cop

January 31, 2008 – 5:42 pm

I don’t trust police officers. Here’s another story illustrating why: Unfortunately, Arizona Sheriffs, including our own egregious Joe Arpaio here in Phoenix, still have a wild west mentality: On the night of July 29, 2007, Dibor Roberts, a Senegalese-born American citizen living in Cottonwood, Arizona, was driving [...]

By Joe Martin | Posted in Government | Also tagged | Comments (1)

Do You Have Your eBay License?

January 31, 2008 – 5:22 pm

How’s this for economic freedom: The state of Pennsylvania has shut down the eBay business of Mary Jo Pletz, who started the endeavor so she could earn money at home while caring for daughter, who had developed a brain tumor. Not content with merely running her out of business, state officials [...]

By Joe Martin | Posted in Government | Also tagged | Comments (0)

Banned for Your Own Good

January 17, 2008 – 10:42 am

The city of Madison believes that if it limits your freedom it can truly make you safer. Next up on their agenda: plastic water bottles. The city of Madison, enamored of bans on everything from smoking to phosphorus fertilizers, may be setting its regulatory sights on another target — plastic. In [...]

By Joe Martin | Posted in Government | Also tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Is It a War on Drugs or a War on Patients?

January 15, 2008 – 11:07 pm

Division of Labour: I fall victim to the drug war: As I’ve mentioned, I had transplant surgery on Tuesday. After removing my IV lines, the doctors put me on the controlled substance Percocet for pain relief, to be taken as needed up to 4x daily. (Note: the stuff works.) Under federal rules, I had [...]

By Joe Martin | Posted in Healthcare | Also tagged | Comments (1)

Another Dumb Poker Raid

January 14, 2008 – 11:59 pm

Since when did playing poker become illegal? Another Dumb Poker Raid: Police in San Mateo County, California apparently first spent months investigating the small-stakes poker game. From this firsthand account, it looks like a couple of the officers were playing regularly for several weeks before sending in the SWAT team, guns drawn, last week. [...]

By Joe Martin | Posted in Government | Also tagged | Comments (0)

Are We Slaves?

January 7, 2008 – 2:51 pm

Are we slaves to the state or are we entitled to the fruits of our own labor? Wisconsin state Senator Jon Erpenbach thinks that we’re slaves to the state: Sen. Jon Erpenbach has proposed a bill that at first glance appears to have nothing to do with video games: It would raise the age [...]

By Joe Martin | Posted in Politics | Also tagged , | Comments (0)

Fear Police Incompetence

November 18, 2007 – 7:38 am

How’s this for on the job competence? According to the lawsuit, about 9 p.m. June 15, Vega came to Guardi’s and ordered pasta salad. When Mendez walked into the cooler to get the food, Vega asked Mendez’s wife if she wanted to see Vega scare her husband. She said “no,” according to court documents. [...]

By Joe Martin | Posted in Government | Also tagged , , | Comments (0)

Busting Down the Wrong Door

November 11, 2007 – 10:48 pm

The Wisconsin State Journal reports that two homes were invaded recently, by robbers looking for drugs. “These guys kicked in the doors of people ’s residences who had nothing to do with the drug trade, ” said Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain. “It was a terrible event for both couples. “ [...]

By Joe Martin | Posted in Government | Also tagged , , , | Comments (0)